Joint submission to the Minister for Privacy and Freedom of Information

In September 2011, Minister for Privacy and Freedom of Information, Brendan O'Connor released an Issues Paper discussing the Australian Law Reform Commission's (ALRC) proposal for legislation to allow Australians to take civil legal action if their privacy has been seriously invaded.

The ALRC recommended introducing a statutory cause of action for serious invasions of privacy following its 28-month investigation of Australia's privacy laws.

This discussion and any changes to the law have a strong bearing on the practice of some modes of photography across Australia.

In response to the Minister's call for submissions, Prof Anne Marsh, Prof Mark Davison, Dr Melissa Miles and Dr Daniel Palmer from Monash University, in association with Centre for Contemporary Photography (CCP) made a submission entitled: Issues Papers: A Commonwealth Statutory Cause of Action for Serious Invasion of Privacy, September 2011, submitted in November 2011.